Four-legged friends focus of fundraiser

September 9, 2012

BROADALBIN - For their birthdays, children often want the latest popular toy, but Faith McCoy showed up at The Robin's Nest on her eighth birthday Saturday with gifts for others - donations of pet-care supplies she collected from friends.

Because McCoy loves animals, she brought the presents to Woofstock, a fundraiser to benefit the Regional Animal Shelter's animal facility at 117 W. Fulton St. in Gloversville. Dozens of people attended and made donations for the 12-animal shelter, which now has 11 dogs and one cat as residents.

Woofstock featured performances by local bands including Cleen Street, Rocky Graziano, Roger "True" Guzman, Two Out of Three, Johnny Martini and Skyler's Dream Team, all of whom donated their time and talents.

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Faith McCoy is shown Saturday at Woofstock with pet-care items her friends donated in lieu of birthday gifts for her. (The Leader-Herald/John Borgolini)

Renee Earl of the Regional Animal Shelter said it was a great way to support the shelter.

"What do people enjoy? Music, having fun, food - what's a better way to support the animal shelter than that?" Earl said.

Earl was pleased with the number of musicians who agreed to do the benefit show. She expected to be met with excuses from the bands, as she said many organizations have fundraisers and are often looking for free entertainment.

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"The ones who have offered their assistance have been absolutely wonderful, more than accommodating, and more than helping us out with whatever we needed," she said.

Robin Markert, owner of The Robin's Nest and president of the Regional Animal Shelter, said the event was to raise awareness of the shelter's efforts. Members of the shelter have been working for years to raise money to build a new shelter that would have 150 kennels and an operating room to assist injured animals.

As plans for that project continue, the shelter organization has started to operate the Gloversville animal facility on behalf of the city.

Markert said the most important thing about the event was for people to learn about pets.

"Any pet eats, loves and need a home," she said, noting animals are not expendable.

"You get out of your pet what you put into it," she said.

Markert went on to explain that the shelter volunteers take a lot of time to care for the animals by playing with them, bathing them and even reading the animals bed-time stories.

And Earl said she wanted people to come to this event and realize that animals in shelters are just like any others.

"I want them to realize that shelter dogs are just as good or even better than any other dog, and that the dogs at the shelter deserve loving homes," she said. "They're even more appreciative than the dogs you buy at the pet store."